Riding in south east/london

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Jessdylan

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Hi all,

Does any body know of somewhere to ride in the south east england/london area which is more focussed on dressage and showing, rather than a bog standard riding school?
I have been riding since i was 7 (am now 22) and currently have my own horse. I have competed in showing for many years and have done lots of dressage on my horse. I am now moving home from uni and my horse is going on loan, and I am at a loss as to where I can ride! The riding school that I started at holds no appeal for me to go back to - there is a lot of rivalry and I would rather go somewhere with less hassle from loads of girls!

Please let me know if there's anywhere you can recommend!?
 
Another on for OEC. It's pricey but you are riding proper dressage schoolmasters and get worked hard...I actually managed to steam up my car when I got in after my lesson!
 
Thanks, have looked at Oldencraig and it looks brilliant, but yes very pricey! Have also looked at Kingston Riding Centre, does anybody have any views on that? Any good or just another riding school?
 
I learnt to ride at Kingston- what you might be able to get is a terry Allen lesson if you call up. He teaches around this area and is awesome.
 
WVS not that great for dressage and learning imo, can be repetitive. Lomond stud? Southern Schoolmasters?
 
I personally wouldn't recommend Kingston unless you go for a Terry Allen lesson as he caters for the more experienced rider and you will get much more out of the lesson. I have never been to OEC but was chatting to some friends the other night about it as I'd also like to have some dressage schoolmaster lessons (bringing on a young horse for dressage at the moment), but they had heard mixed reviews about the place, also it is rather expensive. WVS is lovely but I don't think they would push you that much unless they knew you and what you wanted to do; you wouldn't get that far in one lesson I don't think and the horses are better than average RS horses but not dressage schoolmasters.

Do you want to hack out as well or just have lessons? And how regularly would you want to ride? Also where in London are you, that would be helpful to know.
 
Thanks, that's really helpful. I'm hoping to ride once a week or so, hacking is a take it or leave it thing - not too bothered about it to be honest! I'd like to just improve my riding and keep doing what I love, despite my horse being elsewhere!
I'm in South East london - Lewisham, so obviously I am looking to travel!
 
I used to ride at Lea Valley and tried a few of the other London stables. I found LV to be the friendliest and most down-to-earth of the lot but it is a riding school. They tend to have a couple of decent horses for dressage and some of their instructors compete at decent levels (eg my old RI competed at the dressage nationals and another made it to HOYS in a search for a star class) but you'd need to get private lessons for what you're after.

I know people who've ridden at WV stables, Kingston and Ealing. I say they're more typical riding schools aimed at non-horse owning riders with some hacking.

I didn't enjoy Trent Park when I went there but I heard it's under new management since then so may be worth a try too.
 
i have only heard good about oec, and have personally had few lessons there..they are not at all expensive..actually the livery is less than most places... great place and i had an awsome lesson on a great schoolmaster
 
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